David Price: Saving playoff wins for Red Sox

BOSTON — For all the money the Red Sox are paying David Price, the Boston fans don't just want a pitcher who gives the team a chance to win every five days or wind up among the Cy Young contenders.

With a seven-year, $217 million contract, the Red Sox are expecting playoff wins. And that's the one thing Price hasn't delivered.

"I think I was just saving all my postseason wins for the Red Sox," Price, 0-7 with a 5.27 ERA in eight career postseason starts, said Friday during his introductory news conference. "I know good things are going to happen to me in October. That just hasn't been the case thus far."

Despite winning it all in 2013 — their third World Series championship in 10 years — the Red Sox have finished last in the East in three of the past four seasons. Their rebuilding began in August when they brought in Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations, and this week he made his big move.

The deal with Price — "one of the best pitchers in baseball, a true No. 1," Dombrowski said — gives the 2012 Cy Young winner while with the Rays a chance to opt out after three years. It also goes against the club's desire not to commit to long-term deals for pitchers who have turned 30. "There are exceptions to any rule, and certainly this is one of the most exceptional pitchers," owner John Henry said.

The AL's top pitcher in 2012 and two-time runnerup in seven full seasons, Price, 30, has a 3.09 ERA with 1,372 strikeouts and 104 wins. He went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA with Detroit and Toronto in 2015, striking out 225.

Price was asked about his past trouble with Boston's David Ortiz. When Price was with Tampa Bay, he criticized the Red Sox DH for admiring a postseason homer and slowly rounding the bases. He hit Ortiz with a pitch the next season, benches emptied and the two called each other names. But Ortiz said this week that the feud was over. Price said he's looking forward to playing with "arguably the greatest DH to ever play the game," adding, "I'm ready to be one of his really good friends."

REPORTS: GREINKE TO D'BACKS: Right-hander Zack Greinke agreed to a six-year, $206.5 million deal with Arizona, according to multiple reports. His deal contains deferred money. The $34.4 million average will be the sport's highest, topping Price's $31 million with the Red Sox. Greinke, 32, led the majors in ERA last season while with the Dodgers.

ReportS: Cubs get Lackey: Cardinals free agent right-hander John Lackey, 37, agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with the rival Cubs, according to multiple reports.

Bonds Back: Barry Bonds is returning to baseball full time as hitting coach for the Marlins, joining the staff of new manager Don Mattingly. The media-shy, steroids-tainted home run king made a rare conference call appearance to discuss his hiring, which raised his profile just as balloting is under way for Hall of Fame voting. "I'm a Hall of Fame baseball player with no doubt in my mind, no doubt in my heart," said Bonds, 51. "God knows that. That's all that matters to me."

For two guys who said they didn't make much of matching up, they sure dueled like they did in Boston's 4-1 victory that was decided after they left.Chris Archer, the Rays current top starter, worked six impressive innings, allowing one run and four h...

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays' pitching rotation for the weekend series against the Orioles could have a familiar look: Romo, Romo, Romo.Manager Kevin Cash said using veteran right-handed reliever Sergio Romo as the "opener" in all three upcoming g...

ST. PETERSBURG — Willy Adames was so excited to be in the big leagues, even if was for just a three-day cameo callup. So thrilled to make a smashing debut with a homer on Tuesday. So proud to have his parents and sister fly in from the Dom...

In a way, the timing of RHP Jake Faria's oblique injury seemed manageable in that RHP Nathan Eovaldi is close to coming off the disabled list and can step in. But on the other hand, the Rays finally could have four regular starters. Imagine that.Ther...

UPDATE, 5:32: Faria is looking at at extended absence, potentially into August. Cash said an estimate of 6-8 weeks was on the optimistic side. "From what we found out he got it pretty good," Cash said. "So it could be a little bit longer than t...

UPDATE, 5:18: Ramos' bruised left thumb is feeling better and though he's not in the lineup Cash said he is available for emergency duty. … OF Carlos Gomez was set to run the bases today as the next test of his strained groin. … Cash said...

Whatever pain RHP Jake Faria was feeling as a result of the oblique muscle on the left side he strained throwing a fourth-inning slider to Boston's Hanley Ramirez couldn't compare to the hurt in his heart.Forced to leave Tuesday's game and likely hea...

ST. PETERSBURG — Top prospect Willy Adames is only going to get to stay with the Rays for a few days, so good for him for making the most of it with a home run in his first big-league game, and off Red Sox ace Chris Sale no less.But the good fe...

Marc Topkin's takeaways from Rays 4-2 loss to Red Sox on Tuesday:* The Rays record against a Red Sox team they consider a measuring stick doesn't look very good at 3-8. But, as manager Kevin Cash and several players pointed out, there is some consola...

ST. PETERSBURG — Criticisms of the Rays' latest innovative pitching strategy have piled up since Angels INF Zack Cosart said after Sunday's game that starting RHP Sergio Romo to get the first three-six outs was "bad for baseball.''One of the lo...

Our partner @Sportsmanias is a great way to follow Tampa Bay's favorite teams and keep up with all of the Times/tampabay.com sports coverage. Get the app here.

About the Tampa Bay Rays Section

Now that the 2016 season is in the books for the Tampa Bay Rays, what will the Rays do in the offseason to prepare for 2017? Which players will be back? Which won't? What additions will be made? Come here to follow Tampa Bay Rays news at Tropicana Field and beyond.